Private hospitals, labs to mandatorily inform about COVID positive Cases to Civil Surgeons: Punjab Health Minister

Chandigarh: Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the State, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister, Balbir Singh Sidhu said it was compulsory for all labs and hospitals to immediately inform respective Civil Surgeon offices for notifying COVID-19 affected persons in order to strengthen the containment measures.

Pointing out the importance of preventive measures, Sidhu said that it is of utmost significance to isolate and provided appropriate treatment to each and every case (suspected/confirmed) of COVID-19 besides timely tracing their contacts to break the transmission chain at the earliest in the larger public interest. The wholehearted support and cooperation of the private sector including laboratories and hospitals are necessitated in these trying circumstances, said Sidhu adding that private labs and hospitals should inform about positive cases to their respective civil surgeon offices without any delay.

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It is mandatory for all hospitals (Government and Private), Medical officers in Government health institutions and registered Private Medical Practitioners including AYUSH Practitioners, to also notify such person to concern district surveillance unit, he said.

Divulging about the capping of charges for CT-HRCT Scan for chest and RT-PCR for COVID-19, Health Minister said that no private diagnostic centres should charge any amount more than Rs. 2000 for CT-Scan/HRCT chest, inclusive of GST/Taxes, documentation and reporting in the State of Punjab. Similarly, no Private laboratory should charge any amount more than Rs.900 for the RT-PCR test for COVID 19.

Sidhu clarified that the lab has to strictly follow all the testing protocols as laid down by ICMR & the GoI and the State Government from time to time. He said that the Private Laboratories must share their data pertaining to the results of tests for COVID-19 with the State Government and uploaded it on the ICMR portal on a timely basis. The test report should communicate to the patient immediately after completion of the testing process as well as all results should immediately communicate to the Civil Surgeon office of the concerned district and State IDSP cell of Punjab.

All the private NABL & ICMR approved laboratories have instructed that information of the patient must be maintained with the utmost confidentiality and follow the laid protocols he said adding that if any private institute found dereliction in their responsibility strict action would be taken under Epidemic Disease Act 1895, COVID-19 Regulations 2020.

The Minister informed that one Chandigarh-based Lab has been issued a show-cause notice for overcharging and one license of Amritsar-based lab has been cancelled for violating the conditions issued by the State government. District-level teams have been constituted to conduct surprise checking of such centres.

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